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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · content · tear · bound · ball · perch · pit · chair

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. content — the amount
  5. tear — from crying
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bound — certain
  10. content — happy
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ball — a great time
  13. tear — from crying
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bound — obliged
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — tied together
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pit — in a race
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pit — a fruit stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com